Fire marshal stresses pool chemical safety

The state fire marshal issued a public warning on pool chemical safety after a state hazardous materials team responded to a Provincetown home June 13.

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Posted Jun. 23, 2014 at 2:00 AM
Updated Jun 23, 2014 at 6:13 AM

Posted Jun. 23, 2014 at 2:00 AM
Updated Jun 23, 2014 at 6:13 AM

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The state fire marshal issued a public warning on pool chemical safety after a state hazardous materials team responded to a Provincetown home June 13.

The homeowner had left two containers of pool chemicals open on the deck and when it rained, the chemicals reacted and created a dangerous chlorine vapor cloud, according to a press release from the fire marshal's office.

A wedding taking place at the home next door had to be moved till the situation was controlled, it stated.

Every year more than 5,000 people nationwide are sent to the hospital with pool chemical related injuries.

"Pool chemicals may become a hazard when they get damp or wet with a small quantity of water or when they are improperly mixed with each other, other chemicals or reactive materials," stated Fire Marshal Stephen Coan. "It is important to keep pool chemicals dry. Store them in separate containers with lids in a locked shed away from the house and pool."

Other safety tips:

Clean tools and equipment used to handle one chemical properly before using them with a different chemical.

Spilled substances (e.g., from damaged containers or from sloppy handling) must be cleaned up and disposed of properly to avoid creating an inadvertent mixing or chemical reaction.

For more information about how to store and use pool chemicals safely, visit the MassDEP web site (www.mass.gov/dep/recycle/hazardous/hhwhome.htm) or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (http://www.epa.gov/oem/docs/chem/spalert.pdf).